Appearance and Personality

Chirinide Val'Kyorl'solenurn is a Val by adoption, taken in as a badly burned young child by Ill'haress Shimi'lande Val'Kyorl'solenurn after losing control of her fire sorcery, and growing up to become a fine young Warden. Her hair and eyes are a golden yellow and more colorful than other ssu due to the “renewing” of her vanir blood through her light elf father. This technically makes her a second generation drowussu (though society follows a matrilineal line). As a ssu female, Chirinide is the smallest of her friends and compensates by wearing padded, heavy armor and always goes with a sword at her side. Although fire sorcery is her favored talent, Chirinide is sometimes gifted with visions from the more subtle prescience, a sorcery that is only seen among drowussu.

Chirinide is best described as an extremist in every way: her mannerisms are rigid and strictly according to the Sharess faith and that of her order's creed. She is often in self doubt of her own character--sometimes to the point of hating herself for having a Vanir father--and is unwilling to see the best in herself. Fiercely faithful to the Sharess religion, Chiri will not relent in her verbal assault of those who do not follow the Goddess's teachings, "suggesting" that they return to her before it’s too late. As a result of following the religion, Chirinide has no tolerance for tainted or even those that associate with one, calling them “corrupted” that may yet be saved. To those few that she does trust, Chiri can be one of the most reliable allies.

However, after her travels through the Overworld with friends, Chirinide went through a rediscovery of herself and what it means to be a descendant of light elves, as well as the truth of the motivations of the Val'Kyorl'solenurn in Chel'el'Sussoloth. She has learned to question what she had been previously taught all of her life though still remaining faithful to Sharess.

As tradition states that wardens should be paired with males that become templars to aid in their duties to Sharess, she has one partner in her assigned "blade" Shan'naal Kyorl'solenurn – reason why the two can often be seen together.

Biography - Arc I

The Daughter of the Holy Eye

Chirinide and Chrys’tel.

For as far as she could remember, Chirinide had always believed in the faith of Sharess, which according to the Kyorl’solenurn, all drow are alive today because of her great sacrifice at the end of the Great War. This is transformed into a personal experience for her: when she was once a young girl barely recognizable by severe burns yet given a second chance at life because Holy Mother Shimi’lande wanted to save her, and adoption into the Ill’haress’ family. For this, Chirinide is the firmest of believers in the power of Sharess’ blessings for the faithful, and curses those that squander it.

As a warden, her first and foremost duty is to ward against evil and banish those that would spread it, and so brought Chiri and two templars to clear out a group of Val girls fighting in an alleyway. Chirinide acted quickly with ordering the adult templars to capture the tainted ones and their uncorrupted friend, while she dealt with the injured Chrys'tel Vel'Sharen and Ariel Val'Sarghress. She introduces herself and states that she’s here to protect Ariel so she can become an important part of the war to come.

On hearing the ssu mention a “war”, Ariel asks about it; Chirinide claims that the Nidraa'chal war is still in progress and the enemy is winning, though Chrys’tel interjects against it—to the Warden, all tainted are counted as Nidraa’chaal and are agents spreading the taint by infecting others with a demons through a process called ‘seeding’. Ariel is then told that if she knows any tainted, they should be killed immediately.

Afterwards, the Warden is quite upset with herself that young girls were able to escape trained templars, but Kahru Kyorl'solenurn reassures her that inexperience is perfectly natural and Chiri is setting a good example for others of her generation. Inside the Ill'haress's chamber, Chirinide expresses that she is dissatisfied with herself for having impure blood via her light elf father. She wishes to strive to serve the clan and Sharess to her fullest, but feels that her limitations are holding her back and becomes extremely harsh with herself. Shimi’lande comforts her, giving advice about prescience and how imperfect it actually is (yet she is given lofty titles all the same), but according to her own visions Shimi’lande has seen that the Warden will travel to the ancient lands to protect the Daughter of the Holy eye and obtain wisdoms when the Goddess grants her a vision.

Prescience and Duty

She is now in the streets looking for tainted drow to purge, and soon she find herself in the middle of a skirmish between Sarghress soldiers and mutated citizens infected by a nearby nether gate. Unfortunately some of the soldiers had succumbed to their demons, and those still fighting for control are put out of their misery by the Warden. Struggling against the taint only results in a loss for the person, with the demon taking over in the end regardless of all their efforts. Suddenly Chirinide is surrounded by glowing red demon eyes in the darkness and vicious maw emerges to attack her, but the drowussu quickly sets her focus on fire to protect herself. Next to appear is a blonde adult Templar fully taken over by demons, and the younger drowussu is ready to attack again when she hears a song behind her…

…Then Chiri awakens to find herself in her bed, not knowing what just happened—the girl had just received a prescience message warning of what was to come, though Chirinide did not know if it was truly a vision or just a nightmare. She does understand that the will of the Goddess is sometimes hard to understand and that the meaning behind what she saw will become clear soon.

At the Drowussu section of Orthorbbae, Chirinide steps into the middle of a class where Valla'drielle Val'Kyorl'solenurn is teaching a history lesson on the foundations of cleansing tainted. Chirinide is here retrieve her templar partner, Shan'naal Kyorl'solenurn as both are soon to depart for the Overworld on Shimi'lande's order. On the way out of school she tells Shan about her vision, as he is one she can trust to speak frankly with.

Demon Outbreak

Tir’ade becomes tainted.

In the clan fortress, the pair discover Kyo'nne Val'Illhar'dro being lead around by a Templar to be cleansed, where Shan comments that Chiri’s dream had music shattering the darkness and the Ill’har’dro clan was renowned for its spellsingers. The Warden jumps to action by ordering the man to hand the girl over. Suddenly Chiri notices the Templar from her dreams who addresses himself as Tir'ade Mae'yukir Sarghress and is in a rush to find Ky'ovarde Kyorl'solenurn and inform her of a nether outbreak. Chirinide wonders if she can save the man when she could not save her own mother, but recognizes this as her chance to try, so the Warden orders Tir'ade to show her the way.

Chirinide's visions come true as always, as she stands over the corpse of a slain Sarghress soldier, the same one she killed in her dreams. Kyo'nne complains about the Kyorl practices of killing tainted drow but Shan counters that it is their duty to protect citizens this way, and if the clan is hated so be it. They come across more dead Sarghress and the feeling of demons intensifies with the lack of mana lights and the discovery of a nether gate nearby. As the group gets surrounded by mutated citizens and the remaining Sarghress soldiers, Chiri gets to work with sealing the gate’s nether energies before an ethereal demon can drain too much of her mana, but she realizes that someone else is closing the gate for her. But on her return the Warden realizes that she was too late to save Tir’ade from becoming tainted, and tells him that he must be killed in accordance to Kyorl’solenurn laws--she fails to strike him and Tir’ade runs off into the streets.

Journey to the Overworld

Chirinide faces down Kiel'ndia and Naal'suul

The Warden and Templar return home to report their findings to the Ill’haress and find her staring at a dollified body of a Warden named Kami'seide Kyorl'solenurn; disgusting as it is, the Kyorl leader assures that she will find a way to repair what she can of the woman. The presence of the “gift” from Kharla'ggen Vel'Vloz'ress is a clear taunt aimed at the clan, but Shimi’lande decides not to jump into action personally. Afterwards, she again instructs the children not to worry about what is happening here and instead focus on their task of protecting Ariel.

Chirinide and Shan’naal find Ariel inside a market stall in the Klar’bol district with the intention of following her, giving the girl a choice between allowing them to stay or be stalked. Ariel makes her promise to explain everything in exchange for taking the two drowussu and Kyo’nne with her on her quest to find Faen. First, they must visit Machike along a Sarghress caravan line.

Battle in Wa’kon Cavern

On the Sarghress caravan, Chiri finds herself quickly becoming annoyed with several other members of Ariel's band, but is quick to come to their aid when they come under attack by several enemies. She assists in defending Ariel when Jer’kol and later Kiel'ndia Vel'Vloz'ress and Naal'suul Val'Beldrobbaen reveal themselves. Kiel taunts the Warden into fighting and the two engage in a duel, but Kyo’nne jumps on Chirinide's back and puts the drowussu to sleep with spellsong, in a effort to get everyone to stop fighting.

Chirinide is sorely pissed that they have to protect the daughter of the Holy Eye while she has allowed tainted children to travel with them, so she takes the chance to try convincing Ariel to follow their faith. She claims that it was Sharess’ will that they all be together, and that they were sent to protect someone destined to lead people to purity, not a heretic. Kyo’nne jumps in to rebuke the Warden by asking if she remembers what she and Shan said to her in the streets: they were serving and protecting the community regardless of skin color or creed. Nice words, but both Chirinide and Shan’naal were hypocrites if they would turn away from keeping Ariel safe even if she were a heretic.

The Temple Outpost

The pair of drowussu children curiously look like Vanir in the moonlight.

The children are now on their way through the Overworld, but Chirinide is beginning to doubt her vision and whether the journey with such a mixed group is in Sharess’ will. When the group rests for the night, the drowussu looks to the twilight sky waiting for an answer to her questions and hoping for the vision Shimi’lande had foreseen back home. Shan’naal teases her by saying she looks like a light elf in the bright moonlight, but Chiri ponders if that’s what they were sent to learn—she calls Ariel over and pleads to make a detour to the Order of Serenity Outpost for a pilgrimage.

Her problem with their half dragon companion escalates when it is apparent that she receives a vision warning her of what he was going to do, and Chirinide attempts to murder him in his sleep. The creature was waiting for the drowussu to make a move, and Chirinide is forced to leave Ariel knowing they wouldn’t believe her about the vision.

Kyo’nne joins the pair as the drowussu children head for their clan outpost, a quaint little temple where clan members—some masked and some not—attend to gardens or sleep in the sun. They are met first by Se'tewa Kyorl'solenurn and she subtly warns that if they are ready for an answer to the questions, they are free to speak with the resident Judicator, Lioshi Kyorl'solenurn.

Is it right to disobey your clan?

Turns out, Chiri’s guess about light elves was correct because the resident Judicator is a Vanir, as are all the major leaders of the Orders. The young girl is especially shocked by this revelation and the light elf’s words of the truth behind the clan’s motives for driving the crusade against tainted. She is especially troubled knowing the burden she must bear to keep this a secret, but Chirinide’s duty to protect the daughter of the Holy eye is clearer than ever.
The next day, the girl gets a surprise when the former Ill’haress Shi'fe Kyorl'solenurn visits her and wants Chirinide to continue supporting Shimi’lande, for the current leader needs strong people like the Warden at her side.

Cleansing of Nagyescsed

Now, she plans to rejoin Ariel and head for Nagyescsed, but along the way Chirinide is hit repatedly with visions, each stronger than the last: the first vision came the night after meeting Lioshi, where she dreamed of a slit throat and wrists, and the second was a clear indication of Chiri bleeding to death in a bathtub of blood with the symbol of Nagyescsed overlooking her. The group passes through a jointly owned Illhar’dro/Nal’sarkoth outpost where they learn news of the goblin advancement in recent years. The Halmes, allies of the drow, have been under attack by invading Hermionne forces for the past 200 years, making re-colonization a difficult process. The region of the Dokkalfar Pass is becoming hostile to elves, making trade and travel dangerous.

Ariel returns Chirinide’s sword as a gesture of goodwill.

The turn of events becomes personal when they are attacked on the road by halmes on horseback bearing the Nagyescsed insignia. The two children put up a fight but are outnumbered and weakened by the lack of mana in the Overworld, but soon Ariel and friends rescue the three children just in time. The two then work out their differences regarding Rikshakar and travel together to the halme city. After a first failed attempt, by nightfall the group notices that the city is under attack by Sarghress Highland Raiders and they take the chance to break into the city’s central castle.

As Ariel moves in to rescue Faen, the drowussu follows what her visions predicted and heads for the source of what was witnessed, fighting her way to the king’s chambers. She comes across a horrific sight that once again confirms her visions: these halmes were capturing and sacrificing elves so their king could bathe in blood, believing the blood of elves made one immortal. The room is light aflame when Chirinide flies into a righteous fury while killing everything that gets close, scaring off the queen and what few guards were left. Shan’naal soon enters the fray and the two fight more guards coming to block their exit.

Later, Chirinide catches up with Ariel and friends who have now freed the remaining elves in the dungeon—some of which were light elven slaves held captive—and an Order of Serenity member named Myou Kyorl’solenurn steps forward to suggest where to bring the light elves, else they’d end up back on the slave markets. She translates for Freyja van Niroenir who said she came from a light elven city north of Nagyescsed, and perhaps the other vanir would give shelter to the captive ones.

The group traveled far east of Nagyesced towards much colder temperatures than they were used to.

In the Nagyescsed mountain range northeast of the Mist Sea, Chirinide once again finds herself being chased by halmes on horseback, though now it’s during a thunderstorm at night. The group of vanir and drowussu manage to find shelter from the halme horde and their tracker dogs, but one is noticeably absent—a female had gotten lost in the chaos and was running further down the path. A dog sniffs out their location and the halmes find their hiding spot, but luckily Shan’naal uses metal sorcery to reform the lock and seal the door. The raiding party is forced to move on. The next morning, they had hoped to find the missing vanir alive but Freya stumbles on her trampled corpse lying in the mud—at that moment the Warden receives another prescience vision of the female, named Aki, and her male partner that now sobbed over her body.

Survival was becoming difficult with supplies running low—they cleared out a small Halme camp and divided the meager spoils—but Freya finally recognizes the Valley of Vanaheimer. However, they soon discover an abandoned halme village and Freya explains that in the past year the Nagyescsed halmes begun to push into Vanir territory. The light elves slaughtered these goblins quickly but more halmes returned to hunt down any stray elf to use as blood sacrifices.

The group approaches a dense forest that brings unease, as it is alive with mana and watching them as they pass through—the road becomes more difficult as if the mana forest were trying to stop them. During the night Chiri is hit with a vision of being attacked by living roots, and she jumps into action by setting fire to the moving branches above. Chiri alerts the group of an imminent attack, and during the confusion Freya is captured by her brother Freyr van Niroenir who is slugged by the Warden. He tells them he can lead the group out of the guardian mana forest in exchange for saving his sister.

Inside, Freyr explains the nature of the Van people and his hometown of Kveyka, leading them to the Spring Palace. The Warden asks to see Vala Hudr so that she and the vanir leaders may come to an understanding due to the drowussu ancestry. Chiri ensures that the three drowussu will not stay long, knowing that it’s clear their presence disturbs the residents. She however notices something is wrong due to a feeling she gets yet not having any visions…

Revelations

She believed she would find a glorious past among the Vanir.

Her suspicions are heightened when they are sent to “guest” halls to bathe in gender-separated areas, to which Mazo is reminded of how slaves are processed in Chel. During this time, Chirinide recognizes that her clan and the mindset of these vanir are so similar it’s frightening, right down to the act of “purging” to make way for the pure. Everyone is indoctrinated to do as they’re told and ask no questions. There is no upward mobility in this light elf society either, so if you were born to a forge worker, you are a forge worker yourself until you die. This mentality made the young drowussu children realize that Vanaheimr was an extremist form of what the Kyorl’solenurn does to their own, and it made Chirinide feel like she stepped into enemy territory--she expected greatness and got something entirely different.

Things get from bad to worse at night, when the three encounter assassins attempting to kill them in their sleep. They escape out of the window and onto the catwalk, where they discover more vanir murdering the slaveborn light elves in their rooms and Chirinide is helpless to aid them. Her prescience choose to activate while they were scaling the wall, showing her a vision of what the light elves are doing and causing the Warden to momentarily lose consciousness. She warns of assassins at the end of the catwalk and on the rooftop, leaving down as the only escape—the mana forest instantly snatches Chirinide away, but the drowussu manages a firestorm using a nearby brazier, sustaining burns herself in the process.

She is later found wrapped in Freyr’s cloak and hat; it reminded of the time she came to the clan badly burned and feeling hideous. She questions why Freyr aids them when they were almost killed by his people, and he answers that he doesit because Freya was brought home safetly by them. Chirinide feels terrible now knowing how the vanir feel about the drowussu and even their own kind. She falls into the familiar routine for bringing herself down, feeling that it was all her fault that the innocent light elves died because of her foolishness with believing an enemy clan would take in the slave born for just being fellow light elves.

The group traveled for a month to get back to friendly territory.

Freyr returns what was left of their gear after the light elves “Cleansed” it of foreign foci and what they believe is the taint—even these light elves do their own form of purging just as the Kyorl do. The warden feels the burn of failure, but she is at least happy that Shan’naal is still by her side.
One month later in year 1099, the three finally reach the Order of Serenity temple and Chirinide and Shan'naal are last seen leaving the Outpost some time later, with the Warden herself complaining about a strange surface illness called "allergies".

Biography - Arc II

During an infiltration of the Kyorlsolenurn fortress, Kiel'ndia encounters Chirinide and the two battle. Unfortunately, the young val is buried under Kiel's demon summons and she and the other Kyorl guards are unable to capture the Vloz'ress.

The Fracturing Begins

One day after the announcement of the Empress' death during The District War, Chiri recieved a disturbing vision involving a woman's murder--just one of many violent deaths she had been seeing for several nights[2]. Things are just as bad for her templar, who returned to her from an ill-gotten skirmish by the new section of the clan wall. His sour mood about having to kill civilians worried her, but not enough to deter Chirinide from going with the plan to take a break at a local cafe. While there, she spoke of happier news from her mother Shimi'lande--the Order of Serenity had made moves to establish contact with the light elves of Vanaheimr, with their old friend Freyr as ambassador[3]. As they order their food, Chirinide playfully reminds Shan of the Kyorl custom of templars paying for a Val lady's food.

After a conversation with wardens and a templar about the Sarghress taking over the old Dutan'vir fortress, Chirinide spotted a large procession of inquisitors being led by Ky'ovarde and Judicator Cas'nilhus--something that was very abnormal to see. The pair return to their rooms to gear up, and later appear in the common halls where others are gathered. Chirinide is led away from Shan'naal by Inqisitors Tar'shay and Ari'nara, as well as Cas'nilhus, towards a small chapel on a hill[4]. On the way, she experiencing a vision of a torture while near the Judicator. At the top of the hill, inside a building, rested her mother Shimi'lande's pale corpse, with Judicator Kyuusei's words of Vloz'ress interference, and scuff marks on her face indicating that she had been beheaded[5]. Eerily but to no surprise to Chirinide, she and her sisters Chime and Yakuise shared the same vision of her murder earlier that day.

Later on, Chirinide and her sisters join the judicators on a balcony to announce the death of Shimi'lande and a declaration of war against the Sarghress to the public--as well as the swift announcement of Valla'drielle's ascension as the 11th Holy Mother[6]. In the confusion, several Holy Lances emerge from the crowd to challenge Kyuusei's announcement with word that Shimi'lande had chosen a replacement from the Order of Serentiy--one that was never summoned by the Judicators as stated by tradition. Chirinide was forced to comply with Kyuusei when he answers the challenge with words that Valla'drielle knew how to lead the clan through the tribulation better than an unknown seer.

At her mother's wake, Chirinide was approached by Judicator Kousei, whose only words were that Shimi'lande will be avenged[7]. It wouldn't take long for people of his order to seek out Chiri, looking for answers to Shimi'lande's murder--Chirinide remained suspicious and reluctant of Ky'ovarde's questioning. It is revealed that the violatile woman assassinated Kyuusei on Kousei's order, at Chiri's sister Chime's request.

Traveling the World Once More

Several days afterward, Chirinide and Shan'naal sought their old friend Ariel out, looking for temporary servitude to the Sarghress while journeying to the surface[8]. Under the guise of a special assignment issued by Shimi'lande and given permission by Koil'dorath, the pair accompany Ariel's squad to Ys. Sar'nel questions their presence, stating that they've joined the clan, bu Shan insists that being with the group is only temporary, and that they will return to the Kyorl'solenurn at a later date[9]. After a quick stop in Dariya'ko, the group reached Ys--with Chirinide's allergies acting up--and came across the remains of a battlefield[10].

Upon entering Ys, they are welcomed by Sarghress stationed in the colony, who explain that the city is owned by no clan and is controlled independently. Chirinide took time out to enter the fields just outside the city gates, feeling the sensation of the night air--Shan'naal followed up by hoisting her up bridal style, much to Chiri's embarrassment[11].

The Horrors of Felde

Waves of Change

Nidraa'chal Interference

Biography - Arc III

Chirinide and Shan'naal--now mates--traveled to the surface once more to live in the Shikomei colony on the tail end of the winter season. Now, Chirinide focused on improving some of her lesser skills, like cooking. With guidance from Shinhwa and Litti'rhyne, a beautiful dish is made[12], but was unable to enjoy it due to a sudden bout of illness and fever-like symptoms. When Shan is called in from the fields, Dan'suun announced to the pair that Chirinide was expecting--much to their surprise and concern. The baby would be born a light elf on the surface, which was still a taboo topic among the drowussu, bringing a load of worry for the new parents. However, Shan'naal had an idea to alleviate the gloom surrounding them: to join together in a traditional drowussu Union.[13]

Notable Quotes

“We are on a mission! We would go into the abyss itself if need be! We do NOT require permission to go anywhere!” –answering Kyo’nne’s question of getting permission from clan leaders

“Our ancestor’s homeland… I expected something different. Maybe to find our roots. A glorious past or bond—instead this place feels alien. It’s like being in an enemy clan’s territory.” –speaking about Vanaheimr